


All They Needed

by Beth9501



Series: After the Footage Airs [5]
Category: The Office (US)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Love, Romance, Short & Sweet, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:35:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23995366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beth9501/pseuds/Beth9501
Summary: A sweet springtime date. Full of sweet fluff.
Relationships: Pam Beesly & Jim Halpert, Pam Beesly/Jim Halpert
Series: After the Footage Airs [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730410
Kudos: 16





	All They Needed

**Author's Note:**

> Just a short spring-y feeling oneshot for your reading pleasure.
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Jim carefully backed out of their Austin driveway, glancing down at the rearview camera to make sure he didn’t run over one of Phil toys he had incessantly reminded him to put away the night before. 

He and Pam had moved to their home away from it all a few years ago and the kids were getting older. CeCe was now 8 and Phil was 6 leaving their family with quite the laundry list of never ending tasks to accomplish. CeCe had dance recitals, Phil had little league, Pam had her art gallery, and Jim had Athleap. The family was doing well and fine and Jim and Pam’s relationship was better than ever. 

This morning had been a bit rough though as both kids had decided to have meltdowns which left both Jim and Pam to spend the morning comforting, reassuring, and getting the kids ready for school. This left Jim and Pam a bit more frustrated with each other than normal as everytime the other would turn around, they’d be in each other’s way. This was one of those mornings that always left them ready for bed before they had even left for the day. In a way, leaving meant they could get some peace and quiet for a brief period of time. They were long overdue for a date night and they both knew it. Thankfully, that night was tonight and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

They were both light years away from the life they had lived in Scranton. They were no longer the same people they’d been in their twenties and for that they were eternally grateful. While it did take a bit of time, fights, and reconnecting to get to this point, they were happy for the “journey” of it all. That was the word of the month as Pam was finishing up the current season of The Bachelor.

Jim chuckled to himself playing through memories as he merged onto the I-35 heading downtown. He knew he had loved Pam, but seeing Pam as a reality tv show watching gal with her wine every Monday had thrown Jim for a loop. Of all the images he had of her, this was certainly new to him. Pam had begun watching as a joke, but a way to connect with her coworkers at the gallery and now many seasons later she was a ~seasoned~ vet at the show and the lingo. For the few months each season, she’d incorporate the word “journey” into anything and everything she could.

As he focused on switching lanes, getting closer to the office, his thoughts drifted back towards the date night they had ahead of themselves tonight. Jim’s parents had flown into Austin for a long weekend and had offered to watch the kids at their “fancy hotel” as CeCe had excitedly nicknamed it because they had a pool. Jim smiled to himself. Even though they had been irritated with each other throughout the morning, he still couldn’t wait to spend some alone time with Pam. Even better was that his parents were picking the kids up from school so they truly had all the time in the world to focus on each other tonight.

Jim had spent a few days planning the night out being the romantic that he was. Pam knew that this time was theirs and to be ready at 4:30 tonight on the dot. Jim ran through his game plan, putting in the forefront of his brain as to avoid messing up the little alone time they had ahead.  
Mentally walking through the night plans and what he hoped for, he slowed as he exited the highway and merged right, stopping at the Starbucks to get his daily dose of caffeine in order to actually keep going today. No matter how tired he was, he was giddy and ready.

____________________________________________________________________________

Pam dropped the kids off at school and headed south towards the art gallery listening to the country station that was playing “It Must Be Love” by Alan Jackson. 

She remembered hearing this song for the first time when he and Roy were just 20 years old and planning on spending forever together. Pam had always been a fan of country music, but Roy? Not so much. Pam had loved the twang and fun lyrics while Roy constantly poked fun at her for them. She recalled a specific memory when Roy joked with the lyrics, 

Something is wrong alright  
I think of you all night  
Can't sleep 'till mornin' light it must be love

“Get it, babe? Cause they’re doing it.” Roy had laughed, Pam remembered, but she recalled her annoyance at the situation. The song was a love poem and here she had been showing her love for him and he had yet again, mocked it.

It wasn’t until Jim started working at Dunder Mifflin, they became friends, then soon lovers, that she thought of the song in a new light. It was no longer a crass tune that lacked emotion and passion for it was now one of hope and love of her relationship with Jim. She remembered the lyrics that stuck out to her and represented her and Jim,

It must be love it must be love  
I fall like a sparrow and fly like a dove  
You must be the dream I've been dreamin' of  
Oh what a feelin' it must be love

Jim had always been the dream she had been dreaming of, even when she denied herself of his love and appreciation for too long. This song now represented her transition to “Fancy New Beesly” and going after what she truly wanted.

Feeling a smile creep onto her face, Pam belted the song out and her mood shifted from the prior annoyance she never meant to direct towards Jim to one of giddiness at their impending romantic night. Pam was more than ready to show Jim a token of her appreciation for the recent months of busy schedules and straight to bed kind of nights.

Biting her lip and blushing slightly, her mind wandered to what other adventures the night could entail. It had been awhile and she knew Jim had to have been thinking of it as well. She tried to brush those thoughts away since she had an entire work day ahead of her and couldn’t be trusted to work with all that on her mind. She pondered what Jim might have planned for the night as she turned into the parking lot and put her Subaru into park, grabbing her bag, and walking inside enjoying the last little bit of morning warmth.

____________________________________________________________________________

The day felt as if years had passed and it was only 2:00pm. Jim considered checking out early as he was getting antsier by the minute to see his bride. Double checking his calendar, he pulled his phone out of his front pocket in his slacks, dialing Pam.

Relieved when she picked up, he started. 

“Hey, what does the rest of your day look like? Want to call it a day and meet at home?” Jim questioned her.

Hearing a bit of a sigh that Jim could tell was not a frustrated one, he smiled slightly, knowing where her mind was probably at.

“I would love that, let me grab my stuff and I’ll meet you at home in 30” Pam let out, a smile in her voice and Jim’s heart swelled with happiness as if she was agreeing to go on the first date all over again.

Jim replied, “See you soon, sweetheart” before quickly hanging up, grabbing his own belongings, and dashing out of the office before the interns could ask him any questions that would force him to stay longer than he intended.

____________________________________________________________________________

Pam beat Jim home and used her time to spruce up the house a bit, change out of her work clothes, and opened the windows to get the fresh spring air in fully taking advantage before the summer heat overtook them. That was something she would never get used to. Every summer they were air conditioned within an inch of their life, always seeming to be unprepared for the blistering summers.

Changing out of her clothes, Pam caught sight of her wedding band glistening in the afternoon glow that was drifting through their breezy, white linen draperies. No matter what the two of them went through, they were in this together and her wedding band was the constant reminder of his eternal love for her.

She must have gotten caught up in her own day dreams as she then heard their bedroom door click open and eyed Jim drop his work bag to the ground and pursue her.

Before she even knew what was happening, they were wrapped around each other whispering sweet love letters over one another's bodies and making up for all the nights that had passed without their love so evident.

____________________________________________________________________________

The afternoon sun was casting a warm glow in their bedroom, the soft breeze reminding them of their honeymoon in Puerto Rico.

Jim ran his hand along Pam’s collarbone and up to caress her cheek before leaning down and pressing his lips gently to hers before moving his mouth across her flushed face towards her ear.

“I love you, Pam,” Jim said brushing his thumb along her side to wrap her arm around her.

Murmuring her sweet reponse back, Pam snuggled in closer, her head buried in between his chest and arm. Taking a deep breath in, smelling his smell she never got over, she moved even closer to him, trying to form them into one person.

“So, it’s almost 4,” Jim started, “Do you still want to go with the original plans or should we forgo those and stay here?” They both held lazy smiles. Pam’s against Jim’s chest and Jim’s apparent in his voice.

“I’m intrigued to see what you have planned, so I’ll go get ready” Pam replied sighing as she reluctantly, but happy to see where they night let, moved away and towards the bathroom. She turned back towards Jim who was staring at her with a goofy grin.

“What? It’s not like you’ve never seen all this before, Halpert, Geesh!” She giggled watching his eyebrows wiggle in response as he mimicked her movements to get ready for the ultimate date night. “Wait...,” Pam turned back towards him, Jim’s lips capturing hers in surprise.

“Sorry, I haven’t kissed you in...1 minute,” Jim glanced down at a fake watch on his left wrist, “I couldn’t stand much longer.”

Smiling sweetly back at him, “Oh, that’s perfectly fine with me! I was just going to ask what I should wear? Like what kind of activities do I need to prepare for?”

Jim continued the eyebrow wiggles.

“You know what I mean, dork!” Pam replied laughing harder than before.

Jim followed suit and laughed, his arms encircling her, “Hmmm...this is more of a fun date night, not a fancy shamancy kind. Does that help?”

“Ohhh, yes definitely!” Pam replied, turning away from him to start getting ready.

____________________________________________________________________________

An hour later, they were heading down some gravel backroads. Pam looked around her a bit confused. Jim, where are we headed?”

In response, Jim grabbed her hand, running his thumb protectively against her hand.

“My dear, we are headed to a place to make some memories” Jim glanced over, his half smile seeming to make Pam’s heart skip when he noticed her blush creeping up from her neck.

Jim turned right down a county road, the car bouncing all over the place with the gravel sending them every which way.

Finally, he reached the spot he had scouted out a week before on one of his after work, quick drives that made him feel like he was carefree like a teenager again.

The county had opened a tiny park on the side of the road with farmland surrounding them and it was unlikely that anyone else would venture out here. There was a clearing perfect for his date.

Parking the car, he raced to the passenger side to open the door for Pam. “As the nard dog would say, “M’lady…” Jim bowed, motioning outwards as Pam stifled a laugh and begged him to not bring up any of their Scranton friends for the remaining of their date. Obliging, Jim closed the door and headed towards the trunk to grab the date essentials.

____________________________________________________________________________

Jim had made Pam close her eyes until he had everything set up. Opening them up, Pam saw a picnic spread on top of a blanket they had received as a wedding gift long ago, a bottle of wine, and a bouquet of flowers resting in a vase.

“Wow, Jim, this is impressive, even for you!” Pam exclaimed. “You have flowers even! This is so amazing!”

Sheepishly smiling Jim reached for her hand, guiding her towards the spread and they sat down.

“So,” Jim started, “Today is a special day for me. This is the 11th anniversary of when I realized I needed to start going after my dreams. You were always my dream and always have been. I just hope I can still live up to what you dream of me”. Jim smiled and Pam grinned.

“You are everything and more and I love how you remember this date!” Pam responded with her hand in his.

“Well, I marked down all the important Pam anniversaries in my phone and it reminds me yearly how lucky I am” Jim joked. 

“Ah, makes sense.” Pam giggled, reaching for the wine bottle. “No glasses?” She asked furrowing her eyebrow as she looked behind her. 

“Even better, since we have no kids, I thought we could relive our twenties and drink straight from the wine bottle and pretend we’re in your tiny little apartment from when we started dating again.” Jim replied as he opened the bottle and took a swig out of it before offering it to her.

Staring up into the sky and closing her eyes. Pam breathed in the Texas spring air and thanked her lucky stars for where she was at.

____________________________________________________________________________

The two of them had spent the rest of the night eating the sandwiches Jim had packed, drinking the sweet wine, and reminiscing long until the insects and nocturnal animals had come out giving way to the evening sky. 

Jim ran back to their car grabbing two pillows and some sleeping bags. 

“My other idea for the night included stargazing, if you wanted to still say out?” He questioned towards Pam.

Her eyes lighting up was all the response he needed before spreading the sleeping bags out and laying down with his head hitting the pillow. Pam snuggled up against him, similar to her position from earlier that night. 

Jim grabbed his phone and opened a stargazing app. Pointing out the constellations to Pam, they spent the next few hours enjoying the breeze of the spring night, seeing the occasional shooting star and whispering to each other. It reminded Jim of when they had first started dating and for that, this date had served its purpose.

____________________________________________________________________________

Much later, they rounded up their belongings and headed back to their car. Once everything was packed away, Pam turned towards Jim. “I have another idea before we go, stay here”. 

She moved inside the car, getting something ready and Jim heard music playing through the speakers.   
“Care to dance, Halpert?” Pam asked him, sticking her hand out, and waiting for his response.

Grinning, Jim grabbed her and pulled her towards him, his mouth at her ear. “I will always care to dance with you, Beesly.” 

Soft jazz music played through their speakers and it felt as if years passed as they held each other close swaying under the stars. It reminded Pam of the scene in the Notebook where the old couple danced together. It always made her cry and Jim always held her close during that scene and promised that she would always be the Allie to her Noah.

____________________________________________________________________________

The two of them danced under the moonlight of the night before heading back home and snuggling into each other for the remainder of one of the best date nights they’d had in a long time. 

As Jim woke up the next morning and saw Pam snoring softly next to him, he pulled her close to him and thought to himself how much could change in 24 hours. It wasn’t the first time 24 hours had made such a difference in his life. But considering the previous morning they had been annoyed with each other and had turned it around completely by the next morning proved to him that Pam was the right one for him.

Smiling to himself, he nestled himself deeper into their pillows and fell back asleep with Pam formed against him in her own world. 

This. This was all he needed.

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by the stargazing I did tonight with the equally nice breeze outside. It makes me feel like all of this quarantine business isn't really happening and life is still normal. I hope you all are doing well and staying safe!


End file.
